When I began practicing yoga, I already had pretty good body awareness through my background in physical therapy and my love of running and exercising in general. But it was only through yoga that I was able to develop a deeper understanding of anatomy, body mechanics and greater awareness of the unhealthy habits in my own body when it came to how I stood, walked, sat, lifted things and moved in general. In my work with people in yoga classes and private sessions, I am able to see how stress, the effects of sitting, hard work, raising kids and just overall sensory overwhelm has affected …

We’ve all experienced times where we feel stuck. We struggle to find a new way to approach a problem. It could be about money, relationships, career, family or even our schedule. In situations like this, we need an infusion of fresh energy around the issue as well as a new way of thinking. There is no way out of approaching a problem from the same perspective unless something shifts. Einstein said that the definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” So, how do we find this new way of thinking? 1. Exercise. When we feel stuck, we need …

Yoga as a practice is a way to strengthen, stretch, balance and relax in our bodies. But there are many benefits of a yoga practice that can apply off the mat as well. One of the areas where yoga can be helpful is in relationships. Not just the romantic kind, but all relationships: those we have at work, with friends, with family and of course, with our romantic partners. What are some of these lessons and how do you relate each to yoga? Build a strong foundation. Every yoga pose starts with the foundation. If the foundation is unsteady, the whole pose falls apart. “Foundation” also refers to…

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been approached or have had conversations with people in class about how to best get started back with yoga after an injury. This also applies to starting yoga for the first time after an injury. I thought this would make a good topic for my next column. Maybe you’re reading this and like one of the people I spoke with, you’re afraid you’ll get hurt again. Maybe you have a memory of how fit you once were and now, faced with your injured body, you’re frustrated and feel there is no way you’ll be able to taste that feeling of strength and flexibility again. Maybe …

This past week has been a challenging one for all of us as we struggle to move through the holiday season after the tragic event that was the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Dec. 14. This column, my last for this year, was going to focus on New Year’s Resolutions and goal setting but I thought it’d be more helpful to focus on thoughts of healing. Many of the essential teachings of yoga talk about the struggle we have as humans and techniques we can use to ease our suffering. Many of these actions live in the mindfulness realm and emphasize things like meditation and attitudes of …

Many of us have given presentations in our jobs. It could be talking to a group of people in a staff meeting, doing a sales presentation to a customer or giving a talk to a large group. Some of us are in jobs where our role is, literally, to speak in front of a people (as I do, in my job as a yoga teacher). For many, the prospect of speaking to a group brings on paralyzing fear.  Yoga, as a practice, has many practical applications outside of all the wonderful physical and mental benefits you get when you practice. There are many things that you can take from your practice that can help you …

As a yoga teacher, I work with people from a health and wellness perspective. However, in that context, I learn what their challenges are to staying well, feeling good in their bodies and living with less stress and more happiness. While many people struggle with finding time to exercise, finding something they can do consistently, working with injuries or work-related stress, many times people also experience stress due to financial issues. Although dealing with lower paychecks, the fear of lay-offs or being out of work can be incredibly stressful and once you have a job, the last thing you …

As I write this, it’s the first of August, that wistful month sandwiched between the middle and end of the summer. The weather is warm, the days long and there is still plenty of time to have fun. If you’ve been spending your summer thus far stuck in the office, working nonstop, or if you’ve been managing other challenges in life that have gotten in the way of your summer, now is the time to commit to making the most of the next four weeks. Here in New England, we usually have nice weather through September but there is definitely a different tone to our days once the kids are back to school …

We all spend a lot of time with our phones. They are practically additional appendages on our body. When you think about it, you’re hardly ever without it, so why not put it to some good use? Sure, there are the phone calls to loved ones and fun text messages but there are other ways you can use this technology to enhance your mood and impact your health. I’ve got an iPhone, so this article is written with iPhone functionality in mind, but if you’ve got another type of smart phone, look for similar functions as what I’ve listed here. Use your lock screen to display images that make you smile…

I’m writing this on July 4th, as I sit in a local coffee shop in Charlestown. I’m inspired by thoughts of the meaning of today; this idea of claiming “independence.” Certainly, the challenges we had as a new country in 1776 were very different than the challenges we face today. The challenges we faced as individuals were different as well. But the theme of “claiming independence” is a common one. You can call it “breaking free” or “breaking an unhealthy habit” but the idea is the same. You take a stand. You draw a line in the sand. You decide that you’ve had enough and this is it.  Here are …

I’ve been in the wellness business in one way or another my whole professional career. Certainly though, in the past 10 years as a yoga teacher, my focus has shifted specifically to yoga, running, mindfulness techniques and overall wellness coaching. Here are some of the more common questions about wellness that have come up in my work with people: 1. Is yoga a good way to lose weight? One of the wonderful things about yoga is its versatility. It can be practiced for varying lengths of time, in varying temperatures and with variety in terms of the poses that are done. Also, the pace of a yoga…

While the official start to summer is still a few weeks away, with the coming and going of Memorial Day, it’s starting to feel more like it. Despite the possibility of heat and humidity, not many people will complain about the start of the season filled with time for the beach, barbeques and vacations. But along with all of that fun, the summer is the perfect time to find a little “zen.” What does that mean? Well, if you’ve never gone to the beach and found a quiet spot to meditate, than you’re missing out. And, if the thought of that makes you laugh out loud, read on. There are lots of other…

Have you ever thought about how much time you spend connected to media of one kind or another? Whether it’s an online paper, Facebook, Pinterest or other social media tools, or television and radio, much of our waking moments are spent hearing and absorbing information that’s not our own. While this can sometimes be for informational purposes, like listening to the news or the weather, much of it is hardly essential information. Having said that, there is both interest and fun to be had in reading onine articles, blogs and Facebook posts by friends and family. But when we are constantly …

Yesterday was the Boston Marathon and, although I’m a yoga teacher, I love running as well and have finished the BayState Marathon twice, the last time being in October of 2012. Running a marathon is hard work and the training is brutal. But there are different ways you can challenge yourself and some have nothing to do with physical exercise but can have a positive impact on your health. Here are some ideas: More is more: Once you decide on your exercise plan, pick a time frame and do it every day. If it’s yoga, try practicing every day for a week (pick one rest day). If it’s running or gym…

As a yoga teacher, I lead adults and children through many different ways to move their bodies. Each pose emphasizes something different. When people try balancing postures, they often crack a smile, surprised at how challenging it can be.  Sometimes, students get frustrated; you can see it in their faces and watch how it shows up in their bodies. It’s hard to back off and try a little less, especially when you have expectations to do more. Try Tree Pose, for instance. Stand on one leg and bring the other foot to your inner thigh, shin or ankle. Bring your hands together in the middle of your…

Are you having one of “those days?” You’re feeling blue or sad and you don’t know how to get yourself out of it. Or, maybe you recently had an awful day and you ate your way through an entire bag of Pepperidge Farms cookies and still didn’t feel better. When we live in close quarters with people, we notice mood shifts. Not only in those we love but our in our neighbors, co-workers and the people we come in contact with on a daily basis. When we have a bad day, sometimes we let everyone around us notice it. But how can we shift our mood? Here are some easy tips: Move your body. One of the best…

While February has Valentine’s Day as a heart-centered day, it also is American Heart Month, as recognized by the American Heart Association. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and there are many things that each of us can do to improve our heart health. Taking care of your heart is really a two-fold thing. First, there’s the focus on the actual heart itself and making it strong and healthy. This is done through a combination of dietary choices, exercise habits and stress management. We can eat all the healthy food in the world but if we’re constantly …

This time of year, things can go either way for many of us: we’re either excited for the holiday season or we feel a sense of dread.  This depression can be related to financial troubles getting in the way of buying the gifts you want to share, to missing someone in your life who's died or from being single and not having someone special with whom to celebrate. At the same time, we all live in a wonderful neighborhood, surrounded by many people who we see on a regular basis, many of whom are our friends as well as our neighbors. It’s a great time of year to do something special for them and …

As we head into Thanksgiving and then into the rest of the holiday season up to and including New Year's Eve, many of us can already feel our stress levels rise. I’m sure over the next few weeks, there will be a host of articles on the topic -- here’s my contribution with a healthy and mindful angle: Stay active. One of the best ways to beat stress is to move your body. Yoga, running, Cross Fit and the gym are all great options. As the weather gets colder, try ice skating, a brisk walk in a local park, snowshoeing or cross country skiing. Anything that keeps you moving and gets your heart …

As we head into the winter months, it gets harder to keep a positive attitude. For those of us that have lived in New England for many years or were born here, we have a rough exterior and a stiff upper lip when it comes to New England weather. It’s part of what we “weather” in order to enjoy the beautiful fall, the Cape and Islands in the summer and living in a great city. But as November begins and the threat of winter is upon us, we need to work harder to keep our mood upbeat. So, in an effort to head off a case of the winter blues, here are some tips to keep you shining: Read about the …